Brassiere garment



y 31, 1951 V T. B, SCHAUMER 2,562,582

' BRASSIERE GARMENT v I Filed June '7, 1947 FIG. I.

INVENTOR. THEO BELK SCHAUMER BY MM ATTORNEYS Patented July 31, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRASSIERE GARMENT I Theo Belk Schaumer, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 7, 1947, Serial No. 753,225

Claims.

My invention has to do with brassire garments, having as an object the provision of a brassiere so constructed as to conform to breasts of various sizes and characteristics. prior brassiere garments of which I am aware are so constructed as to make the breasts conform to the brassire, which often results inthe garment being extremely uncomfortable and affording improper support.

Another object-of my invention is to provide abrassiere having-a novel, highly efiicient, reinforcing stitching arrangement-that is, a reinforcing stitching which is repeated for opposed portions of the garment in a plurality of parallel rows extending longitudinally of the body-encircling portion of the garment and around each cup, whereby to give additional support of the sides and back and; to the biased cuts of the sides and back, keeping those portions of the garment from gapping and stretching and tending to moldthe soft flesh of the wearer at the sides of the cups towards the front.

Another of the major objects of my invention resides in the novel construction of the body of the garment, which affords added support and eifective'uplift to the heavier portions of the breasts, minimizing the weight ordinarily suspended from the shoulder straps, and which enables the wearer, without discomfort, to wear the garment tighter than is ordinarily the case.

Another object of the invention is to provide a brassiere construction which is conductive to improving the contour of the breasts.

A further object is the provision of a brassiere construction which affords simplicity and economy of manufacture.

Still further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description wherein I explain one presently preferred form of construction embodying the invention, making reference to the'ac'companying drawings illustrativeof said construction, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the completed garment;

Fig. 2 is a frontele'vation 'of the body portion of the garment; Y

' Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of component parts from which each of the two upper cup portions of the garment is made;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the parts illusr I wish it understood, ;however, that ,in its broader aspects as definedby the accompanyin That is,

claims, I- do not intend to limit my invention, to the specific details of construction now to be" described, since it is capable of being carried out in other and modified structures without depart-o ing from its broader concept.

Referring now to the drawings, a brassiere embodying my invention is shown as consisting of a body or lower portion .3, upper cup and rein,-

forcing portions C, shoulder straps D, and the connecting strip E.

In constructing my garment I first form the: body portion B which consists of a strip of elasticized fabric, so elasticized that the stretch is bottom edge is substantially straight, the top edge tapers towards the end to-provide a substantially: pointed end. Between the recesses 5 the body;

has a relatively wide portion 1 having an inwardly curved top edge 8. The function and utility of,

this particular body construction will be here-- inafter explained. Each of the two cup portions.

C is constructed by firstcutting from a suitable fabric an upper member [0 having a side or underarm portion II which tapers to a point II at its outer end. A V-shaped dart is cut from the relatively larger inner end portion I 6 leaving a V-shaped recess I5. .Then two strips. ll, 18' are out, each being substantially triangular in: shape except that the edges Ila, I11), I10, I 8a, I812, I are slightly outwardly curved. Then the recess 15 is closed by sewing its sides to ether, edge portions I10, [8c of strips ll, l8 are sewed to the lower edge of the portion [6 and edge portions I'Ib, [8a are sewed together. This stitching or sewing provides an outwardly bulging or convexed cup for receiving and supporting the breast. i

Next, a plurality of parallel reinforcing stitche 20 are provided in each of the members C, eachof the stitches preferably extending longitudinally of the member and around. the cup. The inner' end of each stitch terminates at an angle tothe' top edge of the member. This stitching is re--' peated until each of the members C is covered with stitches 20 preferably spaced apart approximately of an inch, although this spacing may be varied. The completed element 0 may be described as each being comma-shaped.

Next, the elements C are sewed to the body 3 along their contiguous edges by stitching 22 and a pair of shoulder straps 'D are added if desired.

Each of the shoulder straps has a forked front end 25 secured to the top edge of the cup portion C and the back end of each strap is secured as by stitching to the end portion of the member C.

I find that by virtue of the combination of the elasticized body and relatively inelastic elements '0 the garment may be drawn tightly enough around the body of the wearer to afford adequate support without the use of shoulder straps being in all cases essential.

A connection strip E is then sewed at 21 to the end of one element C and carries a conventional hook fastener 28 at its outer end adapted to engage eyes 29 carried by the corresponding endof the other element C, to enable the garment to be secured in taut condition about the body of the wearer.

While I do not limit my invention to the particular sectional cup construction described, I find that construction to be conducive not only to economy of fabrication but also toprovidemost eflicient and comfortable cup construction.

The stitching 2i which I have described. not only gives unusual support to the cups but' it also gives added support tothe'back and side por tions since it closes the bias cut of the sides and back, keeping those portions of the garment from wards the front or apex of the cups. Particularly in conjunction with the elasticized body portion B-is' this stitching. useful because the stressing caused by stretching the garment around the body. of the wearer causes the brassiere not only to conform to the breasts but also to provide ideal uplift and to cause thebreasts and the soft flesh adjacent the breasts. to be housed within. the" cized body extending up between the cups affords the desired separation of" the breasts and automatic'ally conforms to'the breasts of the wearer despite the fact that asbetween different wearers the breast separation varies considerably.

It will be observedthat the portions Band C are-so relatively arranged that the direction. of pull exerted by theconnecting' strip E is at an angle to. the. disposition of the portion C, which exerts a stretching. action on the body portion Bins-mannertending to mold the breasts and surrounding soft fiesh into the cups and to provide ideal uplift without discomfort.

I claim:

1:. A brassire comprising a body-encircling member composed of anelastic strip having longitudinally: spaced upwardly opening. substantially semi-circular recesses in itsfront portion, a substantially straight bottom edge and a top edge tapering from said respective. recesses to'its ends-land a pairof oppositely disposed relatively inelastic strips each-having a cupped portion'secured-to the elastic strip around the edges of one of saidrecesses and alateral extension securedalong its bottom edge to a tapered top edge of the elastic strip-and extending-beyondthe contiguous end of said elastic. strip,- and fastener means for securing the outer ends of said exgapping and stretching and tending to mold theflesh around the cups at the sideof the cups to 4 tensions together whereby to stretch the bodyencircling member around the wearers body and thereby to stress the elastic strip longitudinally.

2. A brassiere comprising a body-encircling member composed of an elastic strip having longitudinally spaced upwardly opening, substantially semi-circular recesses in its front portion, a substantially straight bottom edge and a top edgetapering from said respective: recesses to its ends, and a pair of oppositely disposed relatively inelastic strips each having a cupped portion secured to the elastic strip around the edges of one of said recesses and a lateral extension secured along its bottom edge to a tapered top edge of. the. elastic strip and extending beyond the contiguous end of said elastic strip, and fastener means for securing the outer ends of said extensions together whereby to stretch the bodyencircling member around the wearers body and thereby to stress the elastic strip longitudinally, each of said relatively inelasticstrips having parallel reinforcing stitches extending parallel with.

its top edge, each of said stitches extending at its inner end' portion circumf'erentially of the cupped portion.

3. In a brassiere: a pair of spaced cup members; a body encircling member to which the:- cupmembers are attached; said body encircling member having ends projecting respectively away from the cup members; said ends being made from elastic material, and'having a top edge and a bottom edge; and a pair of inelastic members attached respectively to the top edges of the ends; as well as to the upper outer portion ofthe cups; the lower edges of the ends being free.

4 In a brassiere: a pair'of' domed cup. members; a body encircling member attachedto the. bases of the cup members-and extendingbelow the cup members; the ends of the body encircling member projecting beyond'the cup membersIa-nd formed of elastic material; said endshaving top edges leading, respectively, from-- the bases ofthecups; and inelastic fabric materiallattached to the top edges of the said ends and als'o't'o the outer. edge of the cup bases.

5. In a brassiere: a pair of domed cup'members; a body encircling member attached to the b'asesof the'cup members and extending belowthe cup members; the ends of the body encircling member projecting beyond the cupmembers, and formed of elastic fabric material, and each having a concavity in its upper edge for attachment to the respective cup base, said concavity extending only partly along'the outer edge of the respective cup; and inelastic members respectively attached to the top edge's of 'said ends and to the'cup members.

THEO BELK SCHAUMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,637,840 Volk Aug. 2-, 1927 1,994,359 Greenbaum Mar. 12, 1935' 2,023,612 Park et a1 Dec. 10, 1935 2,132,128 Rasch Oct. 4, 1938 2,152,910 Childs Apr. 4, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS:

Number Country Date 859,322 France June-3, I940 

